How do you handle loss?

Two men had the same experience on the same day – they lost everything they had and dreamt about.

Their thieves tossed each into a dark hole with bleeding wounds and crushed egos. The one man decided he was a victim and would die in this terrible place. The other one recovered quickly by making plans to get out. He noticed the hole’s walls were unstable at places and thought of a plan to build small steps towards the faint ray of sunlight he could see in the distance.

In the end, these two received what they have decided in that dark hole! The one stayed a victim, even after his wounds healed and the searchers rescued him. The other man built a rough stairway because he refused to stay in the dark, feeling sorry for himself. He kept his eyes on that one distant ray of sunlight, knowing that every step he takes will get him to freedom. After he got out, he was the one to alert the searchers to rescue the other man. 

We all have experienced times of loss like these two. Those are times when it feels as if a part of you is severed and you are bleeding to death.

Loss can be great, or small, but the pain remains the same. You may lose someone through death or something subtle, like getting older and not being able to do what you used to do. The worst loss is losing a dream you had for yourself and your loved ones.

How do we guard ourselves against the onslaught of loss?

I believe loss is inevitable, written in the seasons of time. Its impact on your life can never be expected or cushioned. The best way when in the middle of processing loss is to go through this storm, dust yourself off when it subsides and then continue with your life. Yes, life will be different and it is sometimes difficult not to have the life you used to have.

The hard work to ‘stormproof’ yourself comes when everything goes well, the purse is full and your heart bursts with joy. This is where and when you relentlessly work on your mindsets, the way you see yourself and your role in the world.

These mindsets of being a winner will not take away the effects of loss. It will build a bridge to becoming a stronger, more resilient individual who can go through the storm and rise from the dust of loss without being a victim.

We cannot stop living because of the possibility of loss or in fearing loss. Let us cultivate mindsets that will help us bounce back after these difficult times.

Copyright Annalie Anticevich© March 2023